Claiming benefit

Claiming benefit

Are you having trouble making ends meet and cannot earn more yourself? Do you want to stop sex work and find out if you are entitled to welfare benefits?

For information or help applying for benefits, contact an ACS social worker.

It is not a problem that you do or have done sex work. If you are registered in Amsterdam and want to apply for social assistance benefit, as a (former) sex worker you do not have to go to the general desk to submit your application or make a digital application. Together with you, we can fill in an application form and send it directly to Werk, Participatie en Inkomen (WPI).

We have our own contacts there.

Eligibility for welfare benefits
in Amsterdam

To qualify for benefits, there are a number of conditions. However, you need to know that even if you meet the conditions, there is no guarantee that you will receive the benefit. WPI assesses this based on your personal situation.

These are the conditions:

• You are 18 years or older.
• You are registered in Amsterdam.
• You are a Dutch citizen or equivalent. This means, for example, that you have a residence permit for a definite or indefinite period. You might also be an EU national. Note: there are exceptions. If you have a residence permit or are an EU national, you are not automatically entitled to a benefit. We can assess together with you and the contact person at WPI what your rights are.
• Your income may not exceed the legally applicable social assistance standard and your assets may not be too high.

If you are entitled to benefits, there are also obligations. If you do not comply with these, the municipality can reduce your benefit, terminate it or fine you. And if it later turns out that you are not entitled to the benefit, you may have to repay it.